In the oilfield industry for example, a plurality of control lines are typically run through downhole structures in a well bore. In general, control lines provide conduits for a variety of communication media, including hydraulic fluid, electrical conductors, fiber optic cables, and the like, that may be used to power, control and otherwise communicate with one or more downhole tools placed in the well. For example, a flow control valve installed downhole in a completion may be operated via hydraulic fluid pressure and/or pressure pulses communicated from the surface via the control line to an actuator mechanism of the valve. In addition, a fiber optic cable may be run through a control line and used, for example, to measure the temperature profile of the well or to communicate an operational command to a downhole tool.
With the growing popularity of multi-zone intelligent completions and the increased need for reservoir monitoring, the demand for increasing the number of control lines being utilized in a completion has grown. At the same time, the ability to run these control lines through limited space and the typically tight tolerances existing between structures in downhole completions and in well components has become a challenge. In addition, existing wellheads may have a limited number of penetrations, thus rendering it impractical to increase the number of control lines in order to add functionality to the completion. Increasing the number of control lines also presents difficulties at downhole locations where the control lines pass through completion components, such as tools or seals (e.g., packers, for example). Providing penetrations through a component through which the control lines can pass increases the complexity of a tool and compromises its ability to provide a seal. Reducing the number of control lines passing through a component would aid in improving the reliability and robustness of a well system.